Part Two: Jay's Place

Emma's not sure why she's doing this.

Jay's place is pretty much what she expected; a small, cluttered apartment. It reminds her of Sean's place, but she tries not to think about that. It's cleaner than she expected though, and they're completely alone.

"Where are your parents?"

"My mom's probably hit the bar by now." He shrugs.

"Isn't it kind of early?"

"Never to early to start drinking." He sighs. "At least, not for her." His voice carries the kind of resignation that comes from not liking something but having become used to it.

"What about your dad?"

"Never met the guy. Look, now that you know my family history, can we can this stupid little study session over with?"

"Fine," Emma says, and they begin.

Jay is smarter then he lets on at school, she soon discovers. He memorizes things quickly and easily. An hour or so of studying, and she's pretty sure he can ace the test. He doesn't make a move on her, surprisingly enough. She guesses he's trying to stick to their agreement, since she promised to show up for the party at the ravine.

"You think I'm ready?"

"You're smarter than you look Jay." He rolls his eyes at her jibe. "You could do a lot better in school if you just put in a little effort."

"Spoken like every teacher I've had since the second grade."

"Don't you want to go to college?"

"Why would I?"

"I dunno, so you can get a good job, make money, have a life?"

"In case you forgot, college costs money. We're not exactly rolling in it over here."

"So? There are scholarships, loans-"

"Not for people like me. I'm not like you, Emma."

"And what am I like?"

He looks at her, his gaze penetrating as always. "Well, let's just say I kind of get it now."

"Get what?"

"What Sean saw in you. I mean, beyond the whole goody-goody, Greenpeace thing." He smirks, his perpetual expression, and Emma makes a face at him.

"And what was that?"

"It's just like … I dunno. You have … virtue, or whatever. And you always want to see the good in people. You want to save everyone and everything. You have way too much compassion. And you're a …."

"What?"

"You're a sweetheart." Damn. She's used to Jay sounding smug, not sincere. He gets up from his chair, moves over to her. "With a total thing for bad boys," he adds.

"Yeah, right."

"Oh, come on. First Sean, now me?"

"I'm not into you Jay." He's so close, their faces almost touching again, and her heart's beating so fast she's afraid it's going to burst right out of her chest. He grins.

"Liar," he whispers, as he leans in to kiss her.

They are interrupted by a thud at the door, and Jay pulls away from her.

"Oh shit, my mom's home," he breathes, pulling Emma out of the chair. "I gotta get you out of here."

"What's the big deal?"

The door opens, and a woman with hair and eyes the same color as Jay's staggers in, reeking of alcohol. "Jason! You better not have brought that slutty little girlfriend of yours over again."

"Ma, I told you," Jay says tiredly, "Alex and I broke up."

"Oh, so she finalized wised up? Realize what a loser you were?" Jay's mom laughs drunkenly, and then her eyes fall on Emma.

"Oh, so now you've brought another little slut home? A blonde one this time?"

Jay walks up to his mother, gets right in her face. "You don't call her that! Ever!" He shouts.

She slaps him.

Emma can tell from the way he reacts that it's the not the first time. He barely even flinches. He backs up, and she lunges for him, drunkenly pushing him against the wall, hitting him again. Emma's frozen, speechless, stunned, with absolutely no idea what to do. Jay looks like he's going to hit her back.

"Do it!" She screams. "Go ahead and hit me, you little bastard! Just like your father!"

Jay slumps against the wall, defeated. He pushes her off, and she staggers backwards, laughing. She turns and walks unsteadily – to her room, Emma assumes, to sleep it off.

The silence in the room as she leaves is deafening. She stares at him. "Jay …"

His face is blank, expressionless. "Come on, Emma," he says, in a monotone. "I'm driving you home."

The ride home is quiet, tense. Jay doesn't even bother to blast the music on those speakers he's always bragging about. They pull up at her house, and he waits for her to get out, not even looking at her.

"Jay," she says softly, and he turns, reluctantly, to look at her. "Jay, your mom-"

"Don't." He glares at her.

"I just-"

"You think I want your pity? You think I need you to feel sorry for me? Get out." He opens her car door, but she sits there, frozen. "Get out now!"

Emma's eyes fill with tears, and she runs from the car, barely having time to slam the door shut before he drives off. She still has to dry her eyes and plaster on a smile before she goes inside the house and faces her family. She doesn't know exactly what she's feeling, but it's not good.